With "Android M" reportedly just weeks away from making its debut, the rumor mill is heating up.

Word has it that the new version of Android will offer more controls for privacy-conscious users. According to Bloomberg Business, which cited unnamed people "familiar with the matter," Android M will "give users more detailed choices over what [information] apps can access."

As Phandroid noted, this is a long-awaited feature for Android fans. Upon installing something, for example, you could let an app access your contacts but not your photos.

Fiddling with permissions, however, is a good way to break your app, so "we're guessing it'll be something similar to how iOS asks the user to grant apps permission to access their gallery, or camera app in order to function," Phandroid said.

Google last year simplified the permission information it displays to people before they download an app, letting them decide whether to continue or cancel. With Android M, those decisions will reportedly get a bit more granular.

Google will likely provide a first look at Android M at its annual I/O developer conference later this month. Google I/O 2015 takes place on May 28 and 29 in San Francisco's Moscone Center West, so stay tuned.

Other rumors suggest that the next version of Android might be built directly into new cars. In December, Reuters said Google's software could become the standard system that powers future cars' entertainment and navigation features — a huge step up from Android Auto, which requires an Android phone to be plugged in to access things like music, maps, and apps.

About the Author

Angela has been a PCMag reporter since January 2012. Prior to joining the team, she worked as a reporter for SC Magazine, covering everything related to hackers and computer security. Angela has also written for The Northern Valley Suburbanite in New Jersey, The Dominion Post in West Virginia, and the Uniontown-Herald Standard in Pennsylvania. She ... See Full Bio

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